A tiny spacecraft raced across space, with a monstrous pursuer close behind. Both craft fired at each other, but the larger had superior weaponry and was gaining ground. Explosions rocked the small ship and it sustained major damage. Inside was chaos.

“Did you hear that? They’ve shut down the main reactor. We’ll be destroyed for sure. This is madness!” a tall robot lamented to his shorter companion. “We’re doomed!”

The smaller robot chirped a response.

“There’ll be no escape for Miss Wheeler this time.” The tall one continued to prognosticate as a loud metallic sound rent the air. “What’s that?”

The crew of the small ship aimed their weapons at a nearby door, which was soon blasted open. As the battle became more personal and explosions hit near the two robots, the taller one wailed, “I should have known better than to trust the logic of a half-sized thermocapsulary dehousing assister...”

His companion made an angry noise and hurried away. The battle, which was becoming more deadly by the moment, swarmed around them and they became separated.

“Trixie!” the taller robot called. “TR-X3, where are you?”

Hearing a familiar sound, the tall robot turned and spotted his companion. A young woman was standing next to the smaller robot, shrouded by the smoke of the battle. She touched the smaller robot’s face, then watched as it rolled away from her.

“At last! Where have you been?” the tall robot chided. “They’re heading in this direction. What are we going to do? We’ll be sent to the truck farm of Jonesy, or smashed into who knows what!”

The smaller robot ignored this and raced down a corridor. Her companion chased after her, wailing, “Wait a minute, where are you going?”

In another part of the ship, the fight was almost over and the enemy commander had boarded. His black robes swirled around him as he strode down the corridor, his face hidden by a mask. An underling reported to him with bad news.

“The plans are not in the main computer.”

The enemy stooped down and grabbed a wounded man by the neck, demanding, “Where are those transmissions you intercepted?”

“We intercepted no transmission. Aaah… This is a consular ship. We’re on a diplomatic mission.”

“If this is a consular ship, where is the Ambassador?”

The man made no reply.

“Tear this ship apart until you’ve found those plans,” the enemy commander ordered, “and bring me the Ambassador. I want her alive!”

As the troops hurried to do his bidding, Honey Wheeler hid in an alcove. Her fear was turning to anger and she prepared herself for what was about to come next.

“There she is! Set for stun!” one of the soldiers cried.

Honey stepped from her hiding place and began blasting the troops with her laser pistol. She tried to make an escape, but one of the soldiers managed to stun her and she fell to the ground and lay still. One of the soldiers stepped forward and checked on her.

“She’ll be all right,” he decided. “Inform Sergeant Molinson we have a prisoner.”

The smaller of the two robots paused before a small hatch. She and her companion had gone almost unnoticed in the battle, but this situation could not be expected to last. She opened the hatch and entered.

Her companion objected at once. “Hey, you’re not permitted in there. It’s restricted. You’ll be deactivated for sure.”

Trixie made a rude reply and continued what she was doing.

“Don’t call me a mindless philosopher, you obstreperous glob of grease! Now come out before somebody sees you.”

This time, Trixie’s reply was more extensive.

“Secret mission? What plans? What are you talking about? I’m not getting in there!”

An explosion nearby caused the tall robot to reconsider his position and he scrambled through the hatch in a hurry.

“I’m going to regret this,” he grumbled, as Trixie closed the hatch and sent the escape pod hurtling away from the ship.

Honey was none-too-gently led down the hallway by a squad of soldiers, her hands bound behind her. When they came to a stop, the black-clad leader emerged from the shadows. Honey held her head high as she faced him down.

“Sergeant Molinson,” she sneered. “I should have known. Only you could be so bold. When the news gets out that you’ve attacked a diplomatic–”

“Don’t play games with me,” the enemy interrupted. “You weren’t on any mercy mission this time. You passed directly through a restricted area. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you.”

Honey shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m on a diplomatic mission to the planet Westchester…”

“You’re a traitor. Take her away!” the sergeant roared, in a temper.

Another officer approached. “Sergeant Molinson, the plans are not aboard this ship and no transmissions were made. An escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting, but no life forms were aboard.”

The sergeant considered for a moment. “She must have hidden the plans in the escape pod. Send a detachment down to retrieve them. There’ll be no one to stop us this time.”

Below, on a nearby planet, the escape pod had landed in the midst of a desert. The two robots had begun walking away from it, but not without complaints from the taller one. Trixie was still talking about her mission and, unable to agree on a direction of travel, the two separated. The taller robot came across a large vehicle of some sort and hailed it in the certainty of being saved – only to find himself in more trouble. Trixie did not fare much better, as she was soon captured by the same trader. In the midst of a scrap heap, the two were reunited.

“TR-X3! It’s you! It’s you!” the tall robot cried. He made his way over to her and embraced her.

In the meantime, the enemy troops had discovered the escape pod to be empty and had found tracks leading away from it. A small part dropped by one of the pair had also caused them to deduce that they were on the track of robots. The troops now knew just what they were looking for…

On the same planet, Jim Frayne was hard at work on the isolated farm where he lived with his Uncle James and Aunt Nell, who had raised him. They were being visited that day by a trader, from whom they intended to purchase some robots. Jim’s uncle had already gone out to where the trader was setting up and he was following when his aunt called to him.

“Jim, tell your uncle that if he gets a translator to be sure it speaks Honeyspeak.”

He nodded in reply. “It looks like we don’t have much of a choice, but I’ll remind him.”

Jim joined his uncle to look over the offered equipment, while the owner, Lytell, stood by. His uncle tried to pass by the robot that Lytell was pushing him most to accept.

“I have no need for a protocol robot,” Uncle James stated.

The tall robot was quick to reply. “Sir – not in such an environment as this – that’s why I’ve also been programmed for over thirty secondary functions that–”

James interrupted. “What I really need is a robot that understands the binary languages of moisture vaporators.”

“Vaporators!” the tall robot exclaimed. “Sir! My first job was programming binary load lifters very similar to your vaporators. You could say–”

“Do you speak Honeyspeak?” James interrupted once more.

“Of course I can, sir. It’s like a second language for me. I’m fluent in–”

“All right; shut up!” James turned to Lytell. “I’ll take this one.” He then directed Jim, “Take these two over to the garage, will you? I want you to have both of them cleaned up before dinner.”

Jim’s face fell. “But I was going into Sleepyside to pick up some power converters…”

His uncle frowned. “You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done. Now, come on, get to it!”

Jim nodded. “All right, come on! And the red one, come on. Well, come on, Red, let’s go.”

Lytell stood back in the shadow of his monstrous vehicle and began negotiations on price. The small robot that had been the tall one’s companion let out a pathetic little beep and tried to follow him, but was prevented by Lytell. James was continuing to haggle when one of the robots Jim was leading away popped one of its panels and threw parts all over the ground.

“Uncle James…” Jim called. “This TR unit has a bad motivator. Look!”

James towered over Lytell, his face angry. “Hey, what’re you trying to push on us?”

Lytell began a long explanation that cut no ice with his customer.

Jim eyed the line of machines, unimpressed.

“Excuse me, sir,” the tall robot beside him asked, “but that TR unit is in prime condition. A real bargain.”

Jim looked at the one indicated and nodded. “Uncle James?” he called. “What about that one?”

James scowled down at Lytell. “We’ll take the blue one.”

Lytell was unenthusiastic about this idea and put up some resistance, but in the end he took the damaged robot away and exchanged TR-X3 for it.

“I’m quite sure you’ll be very pleased with that one, sir,” the tall robot told Jim. “She really is in first-class condition. I’ve worked with her before. Here she comes.”

James paid off the whining Lytell, who loaded the rest of his goods back into his vehicle and departed.

“Okay, let’s go,” Jim told the two robots and strode away.

The taller one muttered to Trixie, “Now, don’t forget this! Why I should stick my neck out for you is quite beyond my capacity!”

Jim’s first order of business was getting the new robots cleaned and ready for service. Both of them were showing signs of wear and tear.

The tall robot was grateful for the attention, exclaiming, “This oil bath is going to feel so good. I’ve got such a bad case of dust contamination, I can barely move!”

Trixie beeped a reply, but Jim seemed lost in thought. His next remark proved that he was not paying much attention.

“It just isn’t fair. Tad is right. I’m never gonna get out of here!”

“Is there anything I might do to help?” the tall robot asked.

Jim cracked a smile. “Well, not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest, or teleport me off this rock!”

“I don’t think so, sir. I’m only a robot and not very knowledgeable about such things. Not on this planet, anyway. As a matter of fact, I’m not even sure which planet I’m on.”

“Well, if there’s a bright centre to the universe,” Jim quipped, “you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from.”

“I see, sir,” the robot replied.

“You can call me Jim.”

“I see, sir Jim.”

Jim laughed. “Just Jim.”

“And I am M-4RT, human-cyborg relations, and this is my counterpart, TR-X3.”

“You’ve got a lot of carbon scoring here. It looks like you’ve seen a lot of action,” Jim commented, as he cleaned the smaller robot, TR-X3.

“With all we’ve been through, sometimes I’m amazed we’re in as good condition as we are,” M-4RT replied.

“Have you been in many battles?” Jim asked.

“Several,” M-4RT replied. “Actually, there’s not much to tell.”

Jim peered closer at one of TR-X3’s joints, which he was attempting to clean. “You’ve got something jammed in here. Were you on–”

All at once, a fragment broke loose, sending Jim tumbling over. At the same moment, a projection appeared, showing a young woman dressed in white. Jim sat back and watched as the small loop played over and over.

“Help me, Ebenezer Maypenny. You’re my only hope,” she asked, then bent down and did something, looked over her shoulder and disappeared. The sequence began again at the start.

“What’s this?” Jim asked, to which Trixie responded in beeps.

M-4RT became indignant. “What is what?! He asked you a question.” He pointed to the apparition. “What is that?”

She trilled some more and M-4RT translated.

“She says it’s nothing, sir. Merely a malfunction. Old data. Pay it no mind.”

“Who is she? She’s beautiful,” Jim murmured.

“I’m afraid I’m not quite sure, sir,” the tall robot replied. “I think she was a passenger on our last voyage. A person of some importance, I believe. Our captain was attached to–”

“Is there more of this recording?” Jim asked, only to have Trixie make several frantic whistles and squeals.

“Behave yourself, Trixie! You’re going to get us in trouble,” M-4RT chided. “It’s all right, you can trust him. He’s our new master.”

Trixie trilled a long message.

“She says she’s the property of Ebenezer Maypenny, a resident of these parts, and it’s a private message for him. Quite frankly, sir, I don’t know what she’s talking about. Our last master was Captain Delanoy, but with what we’ve been through, this little TR unit has become a bit eccentric.”

“Ebenezer Maypenny? I wonder if she means old Ned Maypenny.” Jim considered for a moment. “I don’t know anyone named Ebenezer Maypenny, but old Ned lives out beyond the dune sea. He’s kind of a strange old hermit.” He gazed at the recording for a few more moments. “I wonder who she is. It sounds like she’s in trouble. I’d better play back the whole thing.”

Trixie beeped again, which M-4RT translated. “She says the restraining bolt has short circuited her recording system. She suggests that if you remove the bolt, she might be able to play back the entire recording.”

Jim was paying too much attention to the beautiful young woman to truly hear what was being said, but managed, “Well, I guess you’re too small to run away on me if I take this off. Okay.”

He picked up a tool and removed the bolt. At the same moment, the projection disappeared.

“Where’d she go?” Jim demanded. “Bring her back! Play back the entire message.”

Trixie made some innocent beeps, which made her companion sit up in embarrassment.

“What message?” he asked. “The one you’ve been playing. The one you’re carrying inside your rusty innards!”

From outside, Jim’s aunt called, “Jim? Jim! Come to dinner!”

He stood up and shook his head at the small robot. “I’ll be right there, Aunt Nell.” To the taller robot, he directed, “See what you can do with her. I’ll be right back.”

Sitting down at the dinner table, Jim told his uncle, “You know, I think that TR unit we bought might have been stolen. She says she belongs to someone called Ebenezer Maypenny.”

James became alarmed at the mention of the name, but Jim was too preoccupied with picking at his food to notice.

“I thought she might have meant Ned,” he continued, oblivious. “Do you know what she’s talking about? I wonder if he’s related to Ned.”

At this, James let loose his anger. “Ned’s just a crazy old man. Tomorrow I want you to take that TR unit into Sleepyside and have its memory flushed. That’ll be the end of it. It belongs to us, now.”

Jim frowned. “But what if this Ebenezer comes looking for her?”

James shook his head. “He won’t. I don’t think he exists any more. He died about the same time as your father.”

“He knew my father?” Jim asked.

“I told you to forget about it.” James scowled. “Your only concern is to prepare the new robots for tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim answered. “I think they’ll work out just fine. In fact, I was also thinking of our agreement about my staying on another season. If they work out, I want to put my application to the Academy this year.”

His uncle’s scowl deepened. “You’d miss the harvest. That’s the time I need you most. You can go next year.”

Jim pushed away his half-eaten plate and stood up.

“Where are you going?” his aunt asked, gently.

“It looks like I’m going nowhere,” Jim grumbled. “I have to finish cleaning those robots.”

When he got back to where he had left them, however, they were nowhere in sight. Pressing a button on the control he carried made M-4RT cry out and jump from behind something.

“What are you doing hiding there?” Jim demanded.

“It wasn’t my fault, sir. Please don’t deactivate me. I told her not to go, but she’s faulty, malfunctioning; kept babbling on about her mission.”

“Oh, no,” Jim groaned, snatching up a pair of binoculars.

He went outside into the gathering dusk and scanned the horizon. “How could I be so stupid? She’s nowhere in sight and it’s too dangerous to set out now. She’ll have to wait until morning.” He sighed. “You know, that little robot is going to cause me a lot of trouble.”

“Oh, she excels at that, sir,” the other robot answered.

Jim set out bright and early with M-4RT by his side. In spite of the large head-start, they caught her up with relative ease, though not without incident. She had made it almost all of the way to Ned Maypenny’s dwelling. The old man invited them inside.

Jim cut right to the chase. “This robot says that she’s the property of an Ebenezer Maypenny and has a message for him. Do you know him?”

“Now, that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time… a long time,” old Ned mused.

“I think my uncle knew him. He said he was dead.”

“Oh, he’s not dead, no… not yet,” Ned answered.

“You know him!”

Ned laughed. “Well, of course. Of course I know him. He’s me! I haven’t gone by the name Ebenezer since oh, before you were born.”

“Then the robot does belong to you.”

The old man considered it for a moment. “I don’t seem to remember ever owning a robot. Very interesting…”

Ned sat and thought for a time.

“So, you knew my father?” Jim asked.

“We fought together in the wars. He was the best pilot in the galaxy, a cunning warrior, and a good friend,” Ned answered.

Jim shook his head. “My father didn’t fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter.”

“That’s what your uncle told you,” Ned replied. “He didn’t hold with your father’s ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved.”

“How did my father die?”

Ned considered his words. “A young warrior named Sergeant Molinson, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, betrayed and murdered your father.”

While Jim pondered this answer, Trixie let out a string of beeps. Ned turned to her.

“Let’s see if we can’t figure out what you are, my little friend, and where you come from,” Ned suggested. At his words, TR-X3 obediently displayed the message.

“General Maypenny,” greeted the apparition. “I am Honey Wheeler. Many years ago you fought with my father in the rebellion. My ship has been captured and so I am entrusting to you the plans of the Empire’s latest weapon, which are hidden in this robot. I ask that you bring the plans to my father on the planet Westchester. Help me, Ebenezer Maypenny; you’re my only hope.”

Ned turned to Jim. “You must prepare if you are to come with me to Westchester.”

“Westchester?” Jim asked, laughing. “I’m not going to Westchester. I’ve got to go home. It’s late. I’m in for it as it is.”

“I need your help, Jim. I’m getting too old for this sort of thing. She needs your help.”

Jim sighed. “I can’t get involved! I’ve got work to do. It’s not that I don’t want to help, it just that there’s nothing I can do about it right now. It’s such a long way from here.”

“That’s your uncle talking,” Ned pointed out.

“My uncle,” Jim groaned. “How am I ever going to explain this?” Once more, he sighed. “I can take you as far as Sleepyside. You can get a transport there to White Plains, or wherever you’re going.”

“You must do what you feel is right, of course,” Ned answered.

On the way back to the farm, they came across the remains of Lytell’s huge vehicle and, after a short search, Lytell’s remains as well. Jim was shocked and it showed.

“This is the same guy who sold us these two robots,” he told Ned.

Ned looked at the damage, noting, “These blast points are too accurate for the locals around here. Only Imperial troops are so precise.”

“But why would they want to do this?” Jim wondered. He glanced over to the two robots and gulped as he made the connection. “If they traced the robots here, they may have learned who they sold them to. And that would lead them back home!”

“Wait, Jim! It’s too dangerous!” Ned warned, but Jim was determined.

He arrived back at the farm to finding it a smouldering ruin. “Uncle James! Aunt Nell!” he called, but to no effect. He was too late.

When he later returned to where he had left Ned and the two robots, it was to find that they had dealt with Lytell’s remains.

“There’s nothing you could have done, Jim, had you been there,” Ned comforted him. “You’d have been killed, too, and the robots would now be in the hands of the enemy.”

Jim shrugged. “I want to come with you to Westchester. There’s nothing for me here, now.”

“White Plains Spaceport,” Ned informed Jim, as they arrived there. “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.”

They stopped outside of a run-down bar on the outskirts of the spaceport.

“Do you really think we’re going to find a pilot here that’ll take us to Westchester?” Jim asked, looking at it dubiously.

“Well, most of the best freighter pilots can be found here,” Ned answered. “Only, watch your step. This place can be a little rough.”

Ned seemed quite at home, but to Jim it was a strange and unfriendly place. While Jim was still getting his bearings, Ned began a conversation with an enormous, furry beast and seemed to come to some sort of agreement. Ned beckoned Jim over.

“This is Brian. He’s first-mate on a ship that might suit our needs.”

Together, they moved to a table where another man was sitting.

“Dan Mangan,” he told them, by way of introduction. “I’m captain of the Spartan. Bri here tells me you’re looking for passage to Westchester.”

“Yes, indeed,” Ned answered, “if it’s a fast ship.”

“She’s fast enough for you, old man,” Dan answered. “What’s the cargo?”

“Only passengers. Myself, the boy, two robots, and no questions asked.”

“What is it?” Dan asked. “Some kind of local trouble?”

Ned shrugged. “Let’s just say we’d like to avoid any Imperial entanglements.”

“Well, that’s the real trick, isn’t it?” Dan smirked. “And it’s going to cost you something extra. Ten thousand in advance.”

“Ten thousand?” Jim cried. “We could almost buy our own ship for that!”

Dan laughed. “But who’s going to fly it, kid? You?”

“You bet I could. I’m not such a bad pilot myself! We don’t have to sit here and listen–”

“We haven’t that much with us,” Maypenny interrupted. “But we could pay you two thousand now, plus fifteen when we reach Westchester.”

“Seventeen, huh!” Dan pondered this for a few moments. “Okay. You’ve got yourself a ship. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready. Docking bay ninety-four.”

“Ninety-four,” Ned repeated.

Dan glanced across at the bar. “Looks like trouble.”

At once Ned and Jim slipped out.

Dan turned to Brian. “Seventeen thousand! Those guys must really be desperate. This could really save my neck. Get back to the ship and get her ready.”

“What a piece of junk,” Jim muttered when he saw the ship that would take them to Westchester.

Dan heard him and took exception. “She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts, kid. I’ve added some special modifications myself.” Seeing that Jim was not impressed, he added, “We’re a little rushed, so if you’ll hurry aboard we’ll get out of here.”

As they were boarding, however, it seemed that they might not get away at all.

“Stop that ship!” a soldier cried to his companions.

Dan drew a weapon and began blasting. “Brian! Get us out of here!”

The first mate did as he was told and began the take-off. From there, the pursuit began. As they cleared the docking bay, it became clear that their enemy was determined to stop them. Dan made it to the cockpit in time to see the magnitude of the forces against them.

“Our passengers must be hotter than I thought,” he noted. “Try to hold them off. Angle the deflector shield while I make the calculations for the jump to light speed. Stay sharp! There are two more coming in; they’re going to try to cut us off.”

“Why don’t you outrun them?” Jim asked. “I thought you said this thing was fast.”

Dan grunted in reply. “Watch your mouth, kid, or you’re going to find yourself floating home. We’ll be safe enough once we make the jump to hyperspace. Besides, I know a few manoeuvres. We’ll lose them!”

They were being battered with laserfire and lights began to flash on the instrument panels.

“We’re losing our deflector shields,” Dan announced. “Go strap yourself in. I’m going to make the jump to light speed.”

In moments, the enemies were far behind. The relief did not last long, however.

“There’s another ship coming in,” Dan noted.

Ned stared at it. “It’s an Imperial fighter.”

Brian made a noise of concern, just as explosions burst outside. The fighter raced past them.

“It followed us!” Jim guessed.

Ned disagreed. “No. It’s a short range fighter.”

“There aren’t any bases around here. Where did it come from?” Dan wondered.

Jim frowned. “It sure is leaving in a big hurry. If they identify us, we’re in big trouble.”

“Not if I can help it,” Dan answered. “Bri, jam its transmissions. He ain’t going to be around long enough to tell anyone about us.”

“Look at him,” Jim directed. “He’s heading for that small moon.”

“I think I can get him before he gets there…” Dan focussed on his target. “He’s almost in range.”

Ned’s face became grim. “That’s no moon! It’s a space station.”

“I have a very bad feeling about this,” Jim added.

“Turn the ship around.” Ned’s voice was firm.

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Dan agreed. “Full reverse! Bri, lock in the auxiliary power.”

“Why are we still moving towards it?” Jim demanded.

Dan continued his frantic activity, even as he answered, “We’re caught in a tractor beam! It’s pulling us in.”

“There’s gotta be something you can do!” Jim looked from one to the other and then back to the space station.

“There’s nothin’ I can do about it, kid,” Dan answered. “I’m in full power. I’m going to have to shut down. But they’re not going to get me without a fight.”

Maypenny put a hand on his shoulder. “You can’t win. But there are alternatives to fighting.”

When the enemy troops boarded the ship, it was to find it deserted. An officer reported the matter to Molinson.

“There’s no one on board, sir. According to the log, the crew abandoned ship right after takeoff. It must be a decoy, sir. Several of the escape pods have been jettisoned.”

“Did you find any robots?” Molinson asked in return.

“No, sir. If there were any on board, they must also have jettisoned.”

“Send a scanning crew on board. I want every part of that ship checked.”

The officer went to do his master’s bidding.

Inside the Spartan, Jim and his companions emerged from hiding.

“It’s lucky you had these compartments,” Jim noted.

Dan shrugged. “I use them for smuggling. I never thought I’d be smuggling myself in them. This is ridiculous. Even if I could take off, I’d never get past the tractor beam.”

“Leave that to me,” Ned directed.

The scanning crew came aboard, only to be ambushed by the travellers and have their uniforms stolen. The subterfuge was enough to draw out those who were observing, where Brian could deal with them. Dan shot all those who escaped Brian’s long reach.

“You know,” Jim mused to Dan, “between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it’s a wonder the whole station doesn’t know we’re here.”

“Bring them on! I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around.”

M-4RT came up to the pair to report. “We found the computer outlet, sir.”

They joined Ned, who was in the process of searching for information.

“Plug in,” Ned directed TR-X3. “She should be able to interpret the entire Imperial computer network.”

Trixie did so. After a few moments, she beeped a communication.

M-4RT turned to the others. “She says she’s found the main control to the power beam that’s holding the ship here. She’ll try to make the precise location appear on the monitor.” When this happened, he continued, “The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave.”

Ned studied the monitor. “I don’t think you boys can help. I must go alone.”

“Whatever you say,” Dan answered. “I’ve done more than I bargained for on this trip already.”

“Stay here and watch over the robots,” Ned directed. “They must be delivered safely.”

Brian made some sort of comment, to which Dan agreed.

“Where did you dig up that old fossil?” he asked Jim.

“Ned is a great man,” Jim answered, angrily.

“Yeah, great at getting us into trouble.” Dan shook his head.

Jim bristled at this. “I didn’t hear you give any ideas.”

Dan grunted. “Anything would be better than just hanging around waiting for them to pick us up.”

At that moment, Trixie began to whistle and beep urgently.

“What is it?” Jim asked her.

M-4RT made a gesture of confusion. “I’m afraid I’m not quite sure, sir. She says ‘I found her,’ and keeps repeating, ‘She’s here.’”

“Well, who… who has she found?” Jim wondered.

Trixie whistled a frantic reply.

“Honey Wheeler,” the other robot interpreted.

“Honey Wheeler? She’s here?” Jim demanded.

“Honey who?” Dan asked.

Jim ignored him. “Where… where is she?”

“Level five. Detention block AA-twenty-three. I’m afraid she’s scheduled to be terminated.” M-4RT wrung his metal hands.

“We’ve got to do something,” Jim decided.

“Now, don’t get any funny ideas,” Dan objected. “The old man wants us to wait right here.”

“But he didn’t know she was here,” Jim argued. “Look, will you just find a way back into the detention block?”

Dan shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“They’re going to execute her. A few minutes ago, you said you didn’t want to just wait here.”

“Marching into the detention area is not what I had in mind.”

“But they’re going to kill her!”

“Better her than me,” Dan muttered.

Jim changed tack. “She’s rich.”

Brian let out a growl, but Dan now became interested. “Rich?”

“Yes. Rich, powerful. Listen, if you were to rescue her, the reward would be more wealth than you can imagine.”

“I don’t know,” Dan answered, “I can imagine quite a bit.”

“You’ll get it,” Jim promised.

“I’d better!”

Their ruse of pretending that Brian was a prisoner to be transferred only held up for so long before they had to resort to blasting everything in sight. As Dan excelled at this, they made good progress by this means. They advanced as far as the cell block, but pursuers were on the way. Jim opened the cell door and found himself face to face with Honey Wheeler for the first time.

“Aren’t you a little short for an Imperial trooper?” she asked, when he made no effort to speak to her.

Jim took off his helmet and shook himself out of his reverie. “What? Oh… the uniform. I’m Jim Frayne. I’m here to rescue you.”

“You’re who?” she answered.

“I’m here to rescue you,” he repeated. “I’ve got your TR unit. I’m here with Ned Maypenny.”

“Ned Maypenny is here?” she cried. “Where is he?”

“Come on!”

The battle to get out was even more fierce than that to get in. Their escape route being blocked, Jim called back to M-4RT on his communicator.

“We’ve been cut off! Are there any other ways out of the cell bay?”

“All systems have been alerted to your presence, sir,” the robot replied. “The main entrance seems to be the only way out; all other information on your level is restricted.”

Dan paused between shots. “I can’t hold them off forever! Now what?”

“This is some rescue.” Honey held back while the two men kept shooting. “When you came in here, didn’t you have a plan for getting out?”

Dan pointed to Jim. “He’s the brains, sweetheart.”

Honey considered for a moment, then grabbed Jim’s gun. She blasted a hole through a grate in the adjacent wall. Behind it was the garbage chute.

“What the hell are you doing?” Dan asked.

“Somebody has to save our skins. Get in here, wise guy,” Honey directed.

Brian began to argue, but Dan gave him a kick. “Get in there, you big furry oaf! I don’t care what you smell! Get in there and don’t worry about it.” Dan took another couple of shots. “Wonderful girl! Either I’m going to kill her, or I’m beginning to like her. Get in there!”

When he got down to the bottom, Dan was less than pleased. “Oh! The garbage chute was a really wonderful idea,” he announced, in a voice dripping with sarcasm. “What an incredible smell you’ve discovered.”

Worse, they soon discovered that the doors were sealed and that M-4RT was not answering communications. Their long wait in the garbage compactor was not without a misadventure or two. At last, however, their calls were answered and TR-X3 opened the door to let them out.

They emerged into an unused hallway, where Jim and Dan discarded their stolen uniforms.

“If we can just avoid any more female advice,” Dan put forward, “we ought to be able to get out of here.”

Honey looked at him in disdain. “Listen. I don’t know who you are, or where you came from, but from now on, you do as I tell you. Okay?”

Dan was stunned. “Look, let’s get one thing straight. I take orders from one person: me!”

“It’s a wonder you’re still alive.” She turned her attention to Brian, who was still shaken from their recent experience. “Will someone get this big walking carpet out of my way?”

Dan watched Honey as she began to walk away, then turned to Jim. “No reward is worth this.”

They made their way back to the ship, without running into any more trouble. Soon the Spartan came into view.

“There she is,” Dan murmured.

Jim took out his communicator. “M-4RT, where are you?”

“We’re in the main hangar across from the ship,” he answered.

“We’re right above you,” Jim answered. “Stand by.”

Honey was gazing at the ship. She touched Dan’s arm and asked, “You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.”

“Nice,” he grumbled. “Come on.”

They set off again and came around a corner to find a group of troops. Their leader jumped in surprise.

“It’s them! Blast them!”

From there, the fight was on.

“Get back to the ship,” Dan yelled to Jim and Honey.

They separated into two groups, but managed to fight their way through and meet up again, this time much closer to their target.

“Is the ship okay?” Jim asked Dan.

Dan nodded. “Seems okay, if we can get to it. Just hope the old man got the tractor beam out of commission.”

Jim nodded. A moment later, something caught his attention. From this vantage point, they could see a battle raging between Ned Maypenny and Sergeant Molinson.

“Look!” Jim gasped, pointing.

The battle also came to the attention of the guards on the ship, as they all began to run in that direction.

“Now’s our chance,” Dan urged. “Go!”

The four began racing for the ship. The two robots must have seen the opportunity as well, for they appeared at the same time. Across the way, Ned Maypenny lowered his weapon and Molinson finished him off.

“No!” Jim shouted, in anguish.

Some of the troops were now shooting at them, but Dan held them off.

“Come on,” he called to Jim.

Honey added her voice. “Come on! Jim, it’s too late!”

Jim began firing at the pursuers. Then, he turned and ran into the ship.

“I hope the old man got that tractor beam out of commission,” Dan muttered, “or this is going to be a real short trip. Okay, let’s hit it!”

Brian growled his agreement.

They powered away from the docking bay, made a spectacular turn and disappeared into space.

Once the stolen plans had been analysed, a weakness was found in the space station and battle plans were formed. Only one shot would be needed to cause a chain reaction to destroy the station, but the hit would need to be precise. Jim agreed at once to be a pilot on the mission, but Dan elected to stay out of it. The two had a final conversation as Jim prepared to leave on his mission.

“So… you got your reward and you’re just leaving then?” Jim asked.

Dan seemed cheerful. “That’s right, yeah! I got some old debts I’ve got to pay off with this stuff. Even if I didn’t, you don’t think I’d be fool enough to stick around here, do you? Why don’t you come with us? You’re pretty good in a fight. I could use you.”

At this, Jim became angry. “Come on! Why don’t you take a look around? You know what’s about to happen, what they’re up against. They could use a good pilot like you. You’re turning your back on them.”

“What good’s a reward if you ain’t around to use it?” Dan argued. “Besides, attacking that battle station ain’t my idea of courage. It’s more like suicide.”

“All right. Well, take care of yourself, Dan… I guess that’s what you’re best at, isn’t it?”

Dan hesitated, then called to Jim, wishing him the best. Jim gave him a small wave, then was off.

Brian growled something to Dan.

“What’re you looking at?” Dan asked. “I know what I’m doing.”

Above, the battle raged. Jim found himself fighting against Molinson and his men in small craft, as well as looking for his target on the battle station. Other fighters were being shot down around him, but Jim persisted. He ducked and dodged, managing to escape damage. Then, Molinson himself seemed to fixate on Jim. No matter how Jim manoeuvred, Molinson was still behind him. He was beginning to despair, when a familiar ship came into view.

The Spartan soared along behind Molinson, taking the enemy’s attention from Jim and allowing him to get away. Dan and Brian showered the smaller craft with laserfire, while managing to stave off attack from any other combatants. At last, Molinson’s craft sustained enough damage that it peeled away from the fight. He was out of this battle, but would live to fight another day.

There was just one chance to make the shot and Jim was the last fighter available. He took aim and fired. His aim was true and the predicted chain reaction began. The Spartan passed him as he flew away from the space station at his maximum speed before the station exploded.

In front of the assembled freedom fighters, Honey Wheeler stood. The crowd was jubilant in their victory. Down the long aisle, Jim, Dan and Brian marched. The two robots, TR-X3 and M-4RT stood watching, both of them well-cleaned and repaired after their adventure.

When they reached the front, Honey placed a medallion around Dan’s neck. He winked at her, but she maintained her formal air. She presented the other medallions then they all turned to face the crowd. Despite the odds, they had achieved a stunning victory… and there would be more adventures to come.

The End